The Reception
by Maverick87
Summary: There's just something about weddings.


I had sat down at a back table near the entrance doors. Sally had finally gotten married. The toasts were cheered with applause. The couples dancing waltzed under the gleam of burgundy lights. The bar was open. If anyone else showed up it would have gone to cash at any moment. I barely had any money. I really wanted a drink, but my kidneys and I were trying to cut back. Also my liver would have liked to have had a say in the matter. I had to tell myself no.

I know it sounds dumb, but I never understood the concept of dancing. I never got how people could maneuver against each other, or merely copy the sequences of others. My last date just held me in their arms. Back and forth, one two three, us in syncopation, and the constant need to apologize for their horrible dancing. No one needed to apologize, if anything, I needed to apologize. I wasn't thinking of them.

Sally's wedding dress flowed with ivory. White roses were sewn into it in long snake like patterns, almost like English ivy. Knuckles spun her a few times during one of the last ballads. They were like leaves falling out of a tree, but in some kind of parallel unison. I laughed a bit at this because as much as I didn't dance, the beauty of dancing was not lost on me.

Rouge came walking over to me. Her left hand waved at me and I waved back. I tried to wiggle my fingers non-verbally to suggest that I didn't really feel like having a buddy at the moment. The bat still decided to sit down next to me anyway. She wore white capri pants and a black blouse. I think she had taken off some weight.

"Hey you! Can you believe she finally tied the knot, huh? She's beautiful right?"

We both turned and watched Sally sit back down at her assigned table. Knuckles pulled her chair out for her. The echidna was a gentleman at the very least.

"She really is. I'm glad I didn't bet anything on it. I would lost a lot of money."

Rouge turned back to me and smirked a bit. It was hard to say what she saw me for, but she at least saw me, which was comforting.

"So, how have you been?"

"Somewhere around 'the same' and somewhere around 'dying on the inside because I really need a drink'."

"Why don't you go get one?"

"I just feel like I shouldn't."

"Do you want me to go get you one?"

My mind was screaming for it, but what kind of drink? Seven and seven, gin and tonic, dirty martini, scotch, any light beer, a glass of white wine? They had served fish earlier...

"Yeah...," I sighed. "Go get me one."

Rouge stared at me for a second, but I think she could take some kind of hint.

"What do you want?"

"I'll take a gin and tonic. It's summertime."

Rouge winked at me and headed over towards the bar. There was a line of about seven people waiting. I noticed Shadow also in line to get a drink. I imagined him ordering beer or a neat whiskey. He was considered the ultimate life form. I knew Rouge knew him better than I did. They had teamed up on some things in the past when we all went after Robotnik. Rouge yelled at him from behind and they started making some kind of conversation. I wondered what Shadow felt like talking about. He didn't seem like he enjoyed talking. Rouge had turned back and pointed at me. Shadow and I made eye contact for a split second. I looked back down at my hands. I didn't see any reason to make it a contest.

The D. J. announced that it was time to cut the cake. A few of the caterers wheeled the bride's cake over first. It was the typical three tiered cake. I guessed it had butter cream icing. The colors matched Sally's wedding dress in a predetermined way. They handed her the butcher knife and she cut out a small piece of the lowest tier. She put the knife down and used her hands to break the slice into two equal halves. She put one half in Knuckles's hand, and kept one for herself. They wrapped their arms around each other and fed each other cake. It was similar to snapping a wishbone. I forgot how much ceremony meant to everyone here because the applause became deafening. I clapped as well. The caterers wheeled the wedding cake back to its original place near the dance floor. They pulled the groom's cake next, but this time Sally took the time to rub the cake on Knuckles's face. Everyone hollered as he wiped the chocolate icing off with a napkin.

Rouge came back with my drink and set it down in front of me.

"Hey, I'm gonna go bother Amy for a bit. She looks bored."

Rouge took off before I got a chance to say thank you for the drink. She probably only came over here because I looked lonely. I couldn't tell if I was lonely. The drink tasted weaker than usual. It was like any other mixed drink at a wedding.

I had thought about leaving. I think I had seen enough of this to know where this was going. I could imagine the stragglers throwing rice outside as Sally and Knuckles dashed to their limousine. It was possible they had the bubble wands instead. I knew that was more of the new tradition. I heard rice hurt stung a bit when it was thrown at your face.

A larger hand patted me on the shoulder. I looked over to see Shadow. He placed his beer down on the tablecloth.

"Do you feel like dancing?"

"Not really."

"Are you not a good dancer?"

"I have two left feet who got married, had three kids and those kids all had two left feet."

Shadow walked around the table and sat across from me. "Is that an expression?"

"I was trying to be funny."

"Were you? I couldn't tell."

"You don't have to remind me that I'm not funny."

Shadow's eyes got a little bigger. "I'm sorry. I don't really get jokes very well."

"I don't think I do either."

I took a long gulp of my drink. I had practically finished it in two sips. Shadow took a sip of his drink. He looked behind him at some of the wedding party dancing. He got up and walked off to where Amy and Rouge were talking. I wanted some fresh air or a walk. The ballroom's temperature had risen significantly to point of where almost everyone was removing some of the extemporaneous articles of clothing they had.

I stepped out and went left out towards the back of the building where the bigger parking lot was. I didn't drive here, I had walked. I enjoyed walking where I could if I could. I was getting some exercise and I was saving the planet...what was left of the planet to save.

Outside, the night had just settled in after a long sunset. There were still glimmers of the orange horizon in the distance. Tails had told me once that it was a mirage. All anyone sees is the refraction of the light due to the atmosphere. I think he was trying to impress me with knowledge, but it all came off more disconcerting than anything else.

I began heading home until I heard Sonic call after me.

"Rotor, where you going? You're not leaving are you?"

Sonic had just flicked his cigarette to the ground when I came back. He must have just stepped outside or was running around the building. He was always running somewhere.

"Yeah. I was sick of being here, man."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Doesn't it bother you that Sally is married?"

"Not really. That shipped sailed when I dated Amy. I'm not one to settle down anyway, you know that."

"I don't think I'm ever going to either." My eyes started tearing up. I could not explain why I was so emotional. The drink wasn't that strong to do this to me. I didn't want to come off like that.

"Rotor, don't be that way."

"I know you don't want to hear this, but that is easy for you to say. You're a catch."

"What are you then? A throw back? A bottom feeder? We're using a fishing analogy right?"

"You ask me if I want to talk and you just throw it back in my face?"

Sonic shook his head and came closer. I could smell the smoke off of his suit jacket. He placed his arms around me in a hug. Sonic hugged me and slapped my back a few times before pushing himself away.

"I was trying to be funny Rotor. You'll get someone someday. I know that sounds like some stupid greeting card, but you can trust me. You're an intelligent guy. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

"I don't feel like intelligence is the problem."

"The problem is that no one wants to have a intellectual discussion anymore. Most of us are just good enough to exchange empty pleasantries or tell jokes. If you can't develop the illusion of a personality, then you just become a goon or a doormat."

"And I am which one then?"

"See? That's the problem Rotor, you need to stop defining yourself on your own terms."

I sat down on the curb for a second I think. I didn't know what I really wanted to say. Sonic was just trying to be a good friend I thought, but why is it that when someone tried giving me advice, I always felt like screaming at them. I wanted everyone to leave me alone for a minute. I just wanted to be with myself.

Sonic motioned over and squatted down next to me. He lit another cigarette. The smoke wafted straight up. He kept exhaling in short little breaths. He wasn't trying to make smoke rings, but he seemed to be savoring every drag.

"You're going to be okay, Rotor."

I covered my face in my hands and rubbed my eyes. There was relaxation in the idea that I could hide behind my hands. Sonic caressed his arm around my shoulders like some kind of bad movie.

"Do you wanna get out of here?"

I looked back up to him. I could not tell if this was another joke or something. His eyes hinted at the real deal.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I pushed him off of me with enough force that he dropped his cigarette on the ground. He landed on his back before scrambling back up.

"Rotor, look it's just-"

"Look I know I look like I am in some kind of bad place here, but I don't need your sympathy or whatever the hell you want to call this you-"

"I'm alone." It was something in the way he said it, that made me stop. "I'm just lonely and alone and no one cares. You're only famous for so long and I thought I could handle the fallout from that. I told myself that I could handle it...but now that it's happened I just want to be with someone who will still treat me that way."

Sonic now looked like he was the one on the verge of breaking down. He picked up his cigarette and took another puff before continuing to speak.

"I know I didn't handle this right, okay? I don't know what I want anymore, and I know I'm coming off weird and like a predator and a jerk and well I just want to say _please. Would you please come home with me?_ "

"Sonic...look...I"

The limousine came honking up in a flurry of screeching tires. Almost on cue, wedding guests burst out of the double doorway of the reception hall. They were cutting up and screaming. Rouge and Amy had both busted out singing "Here Comes the Bride" in perfect third harmony of each other.

I gazed back at Sonic and he was smoking the rest of the cigarette in a long solitary drag. He threw the butt to the ground and he stamped it out with his foot three times. Each stamp struck the pavement a little harder than the last.

I just began my trek back home. I was headed southwest for my cabin in the forest. The din of the festivities had started dying off behind me. There was no need to throw rice. I knew better than this. All I was ever going to need was my home and the forest around it. I didn't need anyone. I knew Sonic had just made a mistake of desperation. We were all desperate and I guess I could have slept with him sure. I could have been his boyfriend or something. Maybe we could have had a go at it. Taking pictures together, eating together, he could have dragged me to a gym. Maybe we could have made each other laugh. I could picture him pouring me a drink after a long day with that smirk on his face that he always had. I knew he could have made some of the holiday seasons feel less alone. I wondered if he would have made the future less terrifying. Was this my only chance? Did I need to turn back around and give him the benefit of the doubt? Did he really want me for who I was, or was I going to be another one nightstand notch in his already gigantic belt?

It was when I was lost in those thoughts that I heard his footsteps behind me.

I sighed.


End file.
